Long-awaited and major reforms of the regulations governing European heavy transport are still on track and have entered the next stage of negotiations.
Early in December the EU’s Council of Transport Ministers agreed the proposed revisions of the Weights and Dimensions Directive without any further changes.
This means that a series of measures long called for by ESTA and Europe’s heavy and abnormal transport companies are now moving to the next stage – the so-called Trilogue negotiations between the European Parliament, the Commission and the Council.
The goal of the Trilogue negotiations is to reach agreement on new EU laws faster by ironing out differences before the formal legislative readings are completed.
Each institution puts forward any amendments they wish to propose and the talks will aim to agree a single compromise text which can then be formally approved by Parliament and the Council.
An initial trilogue meeting took place on December 9 bringing together the Danish Minister for Transport Thomas Danielsen representing the Council, the European Parliament’s TRAN Committee and DG MOVE for the Commission.
In January, Cyprus takes over the Presidency of the Council of the EU from Denmark and officials have reassured ESTA that they regard the reforms as a priority and will try and ensure rapid progress.
The planned revisions to the directive include the Europe-wide adoption of the standard SERT documentation for abnormal load vehicle registration – a move that ESTA has supported for many years.
SERT, the Special European Registration for Trucks and Trailers, is intended to reduce the paperwork and bureaucracy faced by the industry.
Other measures include:
- a ‘one stop shop’ per country for permits
- standardised permit application forms
- use of electronic permits
- harmonisation of escorting rules and vehicle markings
- a ban on language requirements for drivers
- permitting systems to be available in all EU languages
ESTA Director Ton Klijn said: “We remain optimistic that the planned revisions will be accepted by our political leaders in Brussels and across Europe.
“We are now waiting to see what amendments might be proposed for the Trilogue negotiations.
“But If all goes ahead as currently envisaged – and when coupled with the measures set out in the separate Military Mobility Package – we could see the most significant and positive changes to the regulations governing our industry in a generation.”
Announcing the Council of Transport Ministers’ decision, Danish Transport Minister Thomas Danielsen said the changes to the directive aim to ensure the free movement of goods and fair competition across the EU
The measures also include incentives for the road transport sector to invest in zero-emission technologies, particularly allowing compensation for the added weight because of these technologies.
Danielsen said: “This will help progress the uptake of the green transition of road transport while future-proofing the transport sector.”
In addition, the Council said the changes will allow the use of European Modular Systems (EMS) between the different member states that allow the use of such systems.